A variety of systems exist for wrapping shrink or stretch films about elongated loads including textile rolls, rolled paper products, and non-cylindrical loads. The Mima Roll Wrapper.TM. system available from ITW Mima, Boca Raton Fla., for example, includes a turntable base for rotating elongated cylindrical loads relative to a fixed film wrapping head. The turntable base rotates the load about an axis substantially perpendicular to a major dimension of the load, and also the turntable simultaneously rotates the load about an axis through its major dimension during the film wrapping process so that the load is totally encapsulated by the film. The Mima Horizontal Wrapping Mast.TM. system also available from ITW Mima, Boca Raton Fla., includes a film wrapping head that translates back and forth along the major dimension of an elongated load as the load is rotated about an axis through its major dimension. In this application, overhanging film material at both ends of the load may be folded over or tied off. This system is useable in combination with a winding machine like a textile winding machine, which forms the elongated load, and is otherwise substantially stationary relative to the translatable film wrapping head.
In other systems, an elongated load is fixed in position relative to a film wrapping head that orbits about the load. The film wrapping head is usually disposed upon an end portion of a rotary arm rotatably mounted in a fixed position above the load. In some load wrapping applications, the load may be rotated about an axis through its major dimension during the film wrapping process so that film is applied to all surfaces thereof. These features are illustrated and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,051 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Wrapping Cylindrical Articles" issued Jan. 21, 1986 to Back.
In view of the discussion above among other considerations, there exists a demonstrated need for an advancement in the art of wrapping a film about a load.